Case File 2477
by Pulser-Aynasa
Summary: Before Yusuke and Toguro. Before Matthews and the Dark Tournament. Before Hiei, Kurama, or Kuwabara. Sensui, the Spirit Detective, worked with Amakaze, Zandock, Caspar, their sister Calista, and the full demon Itsuki to bring peace to the mortal realm.


Prologue 

"Sir, the SDF reports that they will be fully prepared within a few minutes."

"Eastern Quadrant-345 is continuing to show at least B-5 demon contamination near the Fault line."

"That's impossible! He left there hours ago!"

"Human casualties have exceeded our maximum scheduled death rate in Eastern Quadrant-343. Reaper personnel are beginning to fall behind on the ferrying of ghosts."

"Confirmed! Sir, we have two separate reports of A class apparitions slipping through the tear in the Barrier!"

"It isn't looking good, is it Koenma?"

Koenma hardly stirred, wringing his pudgy baby like hands with worry. His expression of absolute despair looked completely out of place on his youthful features. The small motions of the pacifier had become a frantic motion to ward off panic and he turned to the dark haired human.

"No, it doesn't." Koenma confirmed, with none of his banter or explosive shouting, "In fact, I don't see how things could look any worse, short of the Apocalypse…and this might well be that."

"So, it's true, what they say?" Sensui had paled, just noticeably, but he kept an amazing amount of composure, considering he was hardly past his teenage years, "He has returned…Hakudou."

"Yes, He has returned…"

"Is he as powerful as they claim?"

"Frankly, they've understated the case."

"His techniques?"

"Indecipherably…and amazingly potent."

"How will we defeat him then?" Sensui glanced down at his boss, his face impassive. Rather then answer immediately, Koenma sighed deeply, burying his head in his hands. After a long moment, he finally met Sensui's eyes.

"Sensui…how far are you willing to go for the sake of the human race?"

"As far as needed."

"You…You have been assigned as a forward scout. We need to know what Hakudou is capable of, to find some sort of flaw in his techniques. You will engage him with all of your power…"

"This…is a suicide mission…"

"…Yes…Detective…it is."

"…I…Understand."

"S-sir! Something is happening!" One of the Ogres caught Koenma's attention, waving vigorously.

"You Blockhead! I was trying to motivate someone!" Koenma snarled automatically, high-strung.

"Sir..H-Hakudou signal has split!"

"_What!" _

"Power is steadily increasing! Demon Contamination extending past maximum limits!"

"What's going on out there?" Koenma demanded, staring at the useless monitors. With a growl, he turned back to Sensui, "Detective! Let's hit the dirt! I need to know what's going on!"

-

"What did you say?" Koenma asked softly into the microphone.

"Sir, Hakudou's signal has mostly disappeared…what little is left is directly in front of you...about a hundred yards…"

"I couldn't tell." Koenma snapped sarcastically, peering through the smoke. The ground under their feet was scorched and blistering from intense heat. In some places it squished, and long drops opened without warning, "Looks like someone gave him a hell of a fight…"

"No doubt." Sensui rumbled, sticking to business. He stayed crouched low to the ground, ready for anything, "I..I think I hear something…"

"I hear it too…" Koenma muttered, straining to listen. It sounded like someone…crying. A rapid-fire series of sobs that faded for a moment, and started back up again. Picking his way through the debris, he was startled when the smoke around them suddenly cleared away, leaving a small circle of clear air, like the center of a hurricane. Four human shapes, kids really, remained in that circle. Two were prone, their clothing shredded beyond recognition, and nearly every inch of skin covered with blood and mud. Only one, a small girl with tears running down her bloody cheek, was conscious, and she was stroking the head of the last, his whitish blonde hair almost gray with dirt and grime as he slept against her. She looked up as they approached, her tired eyes beseeching.

"Please…We need help…my brothers and I…" She begged, her voice cracking. But Sensui stepped forward before Koenma could answer.

"They're demons." He snapped, glaring at the fallen shape, "All of them are demons. I can sense it in them." He raised his hand, preparing his spirit energy to obliterate them. With a tiny gasp, the girl buried her face in her brothers chest, automatically shielding his body with her own against the coming blow. But the blow did not land.

"Wait, Sensui." Koenma commanded, his iron grip restraining the arm of his detective, "We may have a use for them."

"A use? What are you talking about?" Sensui demanded, "If they killed Hakudou, they're dangerous. We must destroy them while they're weak, Koenma!"

"Stand down, Sensui." Koenma voice was hard as steel, though he still looked the part of a baby, "If they can be saved and renewed, they can help us…

You may even have found some partners."

-

_Excerpt from the personal journal of Spirit Detective Amakaze Hakudou> _

_Entry-1245>_

_When I'm dreaming, I do it right. _

_I can sense the confusion of the moment give way to clarity as I move forward. I can feel the rage build inside me, and I allow it some reign to give me the power I need. I harness it, build on it, and ride its wave. I can feel the shock of my brothers and the horror of my sister, but I ignore it. I can feel the rain pelt down upon me, and the unique feel of gravel just outside of the spirit palace, but I ignore it. I can see the stunned expression on Sensui's face as my sword clears the scabbard, but I ignore it. I can hear the ring of steel, the cries of chagrin, and the alarm bells in the distance. _

_But I ignore it all. _

_It would have been so easy. His defense down, I can imagine my sword slicing across his front, spilling his lifeblood down onto the tile, a warm spray that flies in an arc as my weapon rises to the moon. As he collapses at my feet, my dreams change. Sometimes, I lose control of myself, Hakudou howling into the forefront in a wave of death and debauchery. Sometimes, I keep control long enough to feel my sister's steel bite into my spine. Sometimes, I can only stare as Sensui looks up at me, begging for something, but without the air to form words. _

_It doesn't matter what happens after that point. Without Sensui, countless lives would be saved. Without Sensui, HER life would have been saved. The world, frankly, would be better and brighter for his death, and my own would not have dampened that. In all my dreams, I do it RIGHT. _

_And then I wake. _

_And I remember how wrong I was. _

_End Entry>_


End file.
